Ironing table with fabric support



Feb. 23, 1954 E. E. FOSTER 2,669,793

IRONING TABLE WITH FABRIC SUPPORT Filed Feb. 21, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 2.9 I mllhfi m INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1954 E. E. FOSTER 2,669,793

IRONING TABLE WITH FABRIC SUPPORT Filed Feb. 21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVENTi0R.'

ATTORNEY Feb. 23, 1954 E. E. FOSTER IRONING TABLE WITH FABRIC SUPPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed Feb. 21, 1951 INVENTOR."

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 23, 1954 IRONING TABLE WITH FABRIC SUPPORT Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex., assignor to Majik- Ironers, Inc., Austin, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application February 21, 1951, Serial No. 212,090

4 Claims. (01. 38-111) This invention relates to ironing tables, and more particularly to a table construction including an ironing board supported for convenient use by an operator in a seated position.

Most domestic ironing boards as heretofore constructed are provided with folding legs which support the board at approximately table height, and which can be folded against the bottom of the board for storage. Boards of this type are relatively unstable and are difficult to handle in folding and unfolding the legs. Furthermore the legs connected to the lower side of the board interfere with slipping relatively long, tubular articles over the board and in ironing long articles, such as sheets, window curtains, and the like it is necessary to provide a supplemental table to hold the articles or to allow them to drag on the floor.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an ironing table which is extremely sturdy and rigid, which is easy to fold for storage and to unfold for use, in which the bottom of the ironing board is unobstructed to receive long, tubular articles easily and in which a table top is provided to hold long articles during ironing.

Another object is to provide an ironing table in which the ironing board extends as a cantilever from one end of the table toward the other, and which includes a table top lying below and at one side of the ironing board.

Another object is to provide a folding ironing board devoid of constructions between its ends so that an operators knees can be swung from one end of the board to the other as she swings her body while seated to reach either end of the board.

A further object is to provide an ironing table in. which leg members are hinged to the table structure and are held in extended or folded positions by latches, with an operating member for at least one of the latches extending under the table toward the other end thereof, so that the latch can be operated Without stooping. Preferably a spring is provided to urge one of the leg members toward its folded position so that it will fold when its latch is released, and rollers may be mounted at the end of the table adjacent to said leg member on which the table can easily be moved when the legs are folded.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ironing table embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a bottom plan view with parts of the leg members broken away; Figure 3 is an end elevation; Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-43 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a partial section on the line c -5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a partial section on the line B-6 of Figure 4, and Figure '7 is a partial section on the line 7-4 of Figure 2.

The table as shown includes a pair of generally quadrilateral leg members indicated at l0 and H, which may be formed of pipe or tubing bent around into the form of a rectangular parallelogram or a quadrilateral having substantially parallel sides and provided with foot members l2 for stable support on the floor. The leg member ii! is formed of a substantially continuous length of pipe with its ends welded or otherwise rigidly secured together. The end member H is formed by a U-shaped pipe section, with a relatively heavy cross-piece is at its top forming an end supporting structure for the table.

As best seen in Figure 4, the leg member II is pivotally connected to the top cross-piece i 3. For this purpose the cross-piece l3 carries downwardly projecting U-shaped brackets M in which the ends of the U-shaped leg member are pivoted on ratchets or pins l5.

The cross-member I3 is connected to a longitudinally-extending side member "3, which may also be a pipe, and which connects at the opposite end of the table to a plate H. The upper crossmember of the leg member ii! is pivotally connected to the plate I7 through a channel-shaped support 18 which receives the top cross-piece of the leg member and is bolted to the plate i l. The plate I1 also carries an open channel-shaped guide member it to limit swinging movement of the leg member it and to form part of a latch construction. The end leg members may additionally be connected by relatively narrow table top 2! which is secured to the pipe [6 and extends from end to end of the table at one side thereof. This table top additionally strengthens the construction and serves to receive articles being ironed.

When the table is in use the leg members are unfolded to an extended vertical position as shown, and are held in this position by latch pins 22, as best seen in Figure 4i. The latch pins are mounted forsliding in elongated slots 23 in the vertical portions of the leg members, and are urged upward toward the table top by springs 24. The edges of the U-shaped brackets are formed with notches at 25 to receive the pins 22 when the leg members are extended to hold the leg memboard whendesired.

bers in their extended position. Additional notches 2B are formed in the brackets l4 and I9 to receive the pins 22 when the leg members are folded fiat against the bottom of the table for storage.

extended or folded position without stooping or inconvenience. The leg member II at the opposite end is preferably urged toward its folded position by a coil spring 21 mounted in theleg and engaging the leg and the bracket I4. "To release the latch when this leg member is in its extended position, a releasing cam 28 is pivoted on the bracket I4 and is adapted to be swung by an operating rod 29 lying beneath the table top 2| and extending toward the other end of the table. The end of the cam 28 is rounded, as indicated at 3!, so that when the cam is swung counter-clockwise, as'seen in Figure 6, it will force the pin 22 out of .the notch 25. At this time the le member I I will swing toward its folded position in response to the spring 21, and the spring can be constructed to swing it either fully or partially toward the folded position. In the latter case the leg member will be elevated to a position where it can easily begrasped by the operator and moved to its full folded position without stooping,

For supporting and moving the table when it is in its folded position, wheels 32 are preferably mounted on the cross-piece l3 and project slightly beyond the supporting brackets Hi. When the leg member H is folded these wheels will rest on the floor so that the table can be transported easily.

The table supports an elongated ironing board 33' which may be formed of wood, metal, or other desired material. The ironing board is supported at one end by a bracket 34 connected to the crosspiece [3 and extending upward therefrom to support the ironing board at a level above the level of the table top. If desired to stiffen and strengthen the board, diagonal braces35 may extend under the board from the cross-piece I3 to produce a rigid structure. The braces, however, preferably terminate short of the end of the board and lie relatively flat against the under surface of the board so thatthey will not interfere with elongated tubular articles being slipped over the board. It will be noted that the board 33 extends from the bracket 34 as a cantilever toward the leg member I above and Wholly or substantially wholly at one side of the tabl top 2|, and that the under surface of the board is wholly unobstructed so that it can be used conveniently for various ironing operations.

Although the ironing table is not intended for such use if a person sets upon or otherwise bears down upon the extended end of the board 33 no harm will result as the board and its cantilever supports will deflect until it comes to a firm rest upon the upper cross member of the leg section l0.

Preferably the table top 2| carries a tubular support 36 for supporting a linkage on which an iron is carried for movement over the table top. The linkage may be, for example, of the type more particularly described and claimed inmy Patents Nos. 2,369,732, 2,345,251, and 2,231,895.

Additionally a socket 3! may be mounted on thegtableztop to receive a small sleeve ironing In ironing long articles on the table of the present invention, such as sheets, curtains, or the like, the operator may be seated at the side of the table adjacent the board with her limbs extending under the board Without obstructions of any kind, and may pass the articles over the board toward the table top 2|. As the articles are ironed they can easily and convenientlybe folded on the table top 2| so that they are properly held without mussing or dirtying them.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is :not intended as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ironing table comprising a pair of spaced end supporting structures, elongated connecting means secured to the end structures and rigidly connecting the end structures in spaced relationship, an elongated ironing board, means securing one end of the ironing board rigidly to one of the end structures at a level above the end structures, the ironing board extending as a cantilever, toward the other of the end structures and terminating at its other end in vertically spaced relationship above the other of the end structures, and leg members connected to the end structures to support them on and above a floor.

2. An ironing table comprising a pair of spaced en'd supporting structures, elongated connecting means secured to the end structures and rigidly connecting the end structures in spaced relationship, an elongated ironing board, means securing one end of the ironing board rigidly to one of the end structures at a levelabove the end structures, the ironing board extending as a cantilever toward the other of the end structures and terminating at its other end in vertically spaced relationship above the other of the end structures, leg members pivoted to the end structures to swing from an extended position in which they support the end structures on and above a floor to a folded position underlying and substantially parallel to the connecting means, latches including cooperating latch parts connected to the end structures and leg members to hold the leg members in their extended or folded positions, and an operating member for one of the latches lying beneath the ironing board substantially parallel to the connecting mean and extending toward the other end ofthe table'and connected to one of the latch parts to move it to its latch releasing position.

3. An ironing table comprising a pair of spaced parallel end supporting structures, an elongated side member secured at its opposite ends to the end structures to hold them rigidly in spaced relationship and lying at one side of the table, an elongated table top narrower than the table extending along and secured to the side member and secured at its ends to the end structures, an elongated ironing board, means securing one end of the ironing board to one of the end structures at a levelabove the end structures and the table top, the ironing board extending as a cantilever toward the other of the end structures and terminating at its other end in vertically spaced relationship above the other of the end structures and lying above and at one side of the table top, and leg members connected to the end structures to support them on and above a floor, the table being open between the leg members andrbelow the ironing board at the side thereof opposite to References Cited in the file of this patent the side member.

4. The construction of claim 3 in which the leg UNITED STATES PATENTS members are pivoted to the end structures to Numnel' Name Date swing from an upright supporting position to a, 5 323,580 Bullock u e 9, 1906 folded position underlying and substantially 324,091 Bremel Ju e 26, 1906 parallel to the ironing board, and latche includ- 831,727 Shurtz Mar. 10, 1908 ing cooperating latch parts connected to the end 930591 Peterman A 19 9 structures and leg members to hold the leg mem 1,147,726 3 July 27, 1915 bers in their upright or folded positions. 10 1,162,778 fii e Dec. 7, 1915 EDWIN E. FOSTER. 1223,13? ke Apr. 17, 1917 2,566,668 Krueger Sept. 4, 1951 

